Mary White of Baker Street

Widow of Michael White. There is a potential confusion here flowing from Vere Langford Oliver. From her will (made in 1831), this woman was certainly the mother of Elizabeth Montgomerie (nee White), mother-in-law of Humphrey Butler, and grandmother of Sophia Butler: she also mentions in her will her sons William, Michael and Robert. However, Vere Langford Oliver shows these children as the children of Michael White (d. 1785) and Mary Tomlinson, whom he shows as having married in 1726: he also shows Elizabeth Montgomerie's baptism date as 1729 and William White's as 1727. If Oliver is correct about either or both the marriage date and the baptism dates, then this cannot be the same woman. However, it appears that Elizabeth Montgomerie's birth-date was in fact 1762 (her children were born in the late 1780s onwards). Moreover, Maria White (q.v.), whose will was proved in 1831 and whose life-dates appear to have been 1769-1831, left her house in Baker Street to her mother for life, and it is clear that the Mary White whose will was proved in 1832 was this mother. Mary White of Baker Street was thus clearly of a great age at death which would fit with her known children in her will, although not with Vere Langford Oliver's marriage date for her: it appears he has either conflated two generations or uncharacteristically mistranscribed dates.

1. Will of Mary White of Baker Street St Marylebone proved 07/09/1832. In the will, she identified herself as 'widow of Michael White late of Montserrat Esq. deceased.' She left monetary legacies of several thousand pounds to her children and grandchildren.

2. The inference by LBS that Mary White of Baker Street dying in 1832 was the same woman as the wife of Michael White I is supported by the burial record 22/08/1832 at St Marylebone of Mary White of 50 Baker Street aged 105.

1. PROB 11/1806/98.

2. Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Deaths and Burials, 1813-2003 for Mary White Westminster St Marylebone 1832-1836 [database online].